Mamata announced railway projects without survey: Adhir Chowdhury

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Last Updated: Mon, Dec 24, 2012 17:20 hrs

Kolkata, Dec 24 (IANS) Minister of State for Railways Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury Monday questioned the feasibility of a number of projects announced by then railways minister Mamata Banerjee, saying no survey was conducted before making the announcements.

"Arround 37 projects have been announced without proper survey and without the survey, these projects cannot be implemented. Now I will be blamed for the delay when actually the delay is being caused by her fault," Chowdhury told media persons here.

He also accused the Banerjee led West Bengal government of being non-cooperative in implementing railway projects in the state.

"While states like Jharkhand have come forward to share the cost of railway projects, the Bengal government is also not even ready to talk to villagers to sort out land acquisition issues which have delayed several railway projects," he said.

He also said the non cooperation of the Bengal government has resulted in trains running well below the prescribed speed limit in the Maoist-affected routes in the state.

"The Maoist affected routes spread through the states of Jharkhand, Odisha and Bengal. While the former two have taken steps to ensure the trains run at full speed, we have received no such cooperation from the Bengal government.

"The trains run at a speed of 70- 75 kilometre per hour when their speed should be 110-120 kilometre per hour. This is resulting in delay and congestion along the route," he said.

Chowdhury said that while railways authorities were keen to hold meeting with the state's police chief to sort out issues of law and order so as to increase the speed of trains in the stretch, there was no response from him in this regard.